The Bully in the Playground
by dolphinsramazing
Summary: When Parker is the main suspect in a new case, how will Booth deal with it? More importantly, how will he deal with Bones?
1. Chapter 1

"Open the door this instant, or I will come in there and get you, Bones," Booth threatened menacingly.

Bleary-eyed and thoroughly exhausted, I opened the door to see the whole 6'1" of FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth.

"Why am I up right now? It's 6:00 on a Sunday, and I was planning on coming in at 12 until you ruined my plans" I growled, irritable from lack of sleep.

"Come on, Bones, pretty please! I have some nice bones for you and a new case," he bribed and pleaded, most charming crooked smile plastered on his face.

"Ok," I conceded. When he smiles like that, no matter how hard I try to resist, I'm putty in his comforting hands. "Let me just make myself a little bit presentable first."

"I'm going to stand here until you're ready, so hurry up!" he put his hands on his hips and a fake pout on his face.

Cheeks cherry red and lips curved upward in a small smile, I quickly progressed through my morning routine, feeling Booth's eyes follow me from the doorway. Now Hodgins's paranoia was rubbing off on me. I subtly spun my head around and saw that he had stepped inside and was flipping through my newest manuscript lying prone on the coffee table. Oh, no. I could see in the near future the argument that Andy was Booth, but the truth was I didn't even believe that was untrue anymore. So many conversations I'd had with Booth had been edited and came out of Andy's mouth. My own parallel to Kathy had become even more pronounced over the last few chapters. But in that alternate universe, Andy and Kathy could be together, without any barriers, or "lines" as often referred to as. I shook my head, to attempt removal of these thoughts from my head, and threw myself into compiling an outfit for today.

As Bones was dabbing bits of powder on her face, I strolled around her small apartment and thumbed through anything I found interesting. My eyes fell upon the copy of her newest manuscript, which she had vehemently denied me the privilege of reading. I flipped casually through it, searching for something, a little tidbit that I could tease her about later. My eyes fell upon a section;

"_Who are you jealous of?_

"_Many people, including you, Andy._

"_Why?_

"_Because you all want to lose yourself in another person. You believe that love is transcendent and eternal. I want to believe that too._

"_Hey, you will. I promise. Someday, you will. You will, some day. Okay?_

_His words comforted me, and I believed them, that someday, I could be in love. Maybe I was, even now. With him. _

My mouth dropped open in incredulous shock. Bones and I had taken part in that conversations, word for word, just weeks ago. It shocked me that she had really taken my words to heart, and remembered them. But what confused me deeply was the words that followed "_I could be in love. Maybe I was, even now. With him._" All this time she had been denying the striking similarities of Andy and Kathy and the two of us in real life. Now, she could deny these allegations no longer. A mischievous grin lit my face as I rehearsed taunts in my head. Suddenly, I realized something. Kathy Reichs had mentally declared her undying love for Andy Lister. Was that the equivalent of Temperance Brennan confessing to her love of me, Seeley Booth? I pondered the question in silence, my mind torturing itself with various scenarios.

"Booth, I'm ready. Let's go." my voice rang out, refracting off the blank walls of my small apartment. The Jeffersonian was my true home, not here. All the people, things, and work I loved were enclosed in the vast walls. This was the place I retreated to when Booth and Angela insisted I needed sleep. However, I was preferential to the couch in my office.

"Bones, where do you go? You just zone out sometimes!" Booth's voice was overly loud, and his rough and calloused hand was waving in front of my face.

_I have to stop doing that. _I mentally scolded myself. What came out of my mouth was "Don't mind that, let's boogie!" I glowed with pride with my newfound ability to correctly use idiomatic expressions. I still think Latin is easier than English. He put his hand to the small of my back, so often occurring now that I barely gave it a second thought, and guided out of my apartment. I used to fight it, but now I rather enjoy the sensation.

In the front seat of my FBI standard issue SUV, I briefed Bones on the few details of the case that were within my knowledge.

"A boy was found early this morning in the playground of the local elementary school. According to your squints, he was between 7 and 9 years old.

She interrupted me. "Wait, who was at the crime scene?" At my reply of "Cam", she went into a whole incomprehensible rant about "breaking protocol" and "compromising evidence".

Knowing that she needed to calm down before we arrived at the lab, I put my hand on her small manicured one and she instantly quieted. My eyebrows raised in surprise. Though I was usually able to get her to listen to me, this was an extreme- and a first. Now that she was quiet I continued my brief summary.

"It was preliminarily declared that the COD was a subdural hematoma, possibly caused by the blunt force trauma to the parietal bone.

Bones stifled a giggle, and I questioned the reason behind it.

"You sounded like a squint there. Have you and Hodgins been spending a little _too_ much time together?" she teased.

This was nice. Bones was so much more humorous in the morning, and less empirical. I loved it.

"Angela just needs to complete the reconstruction, and then we'll likely have an ID." I finished.

I made the turn into the parking for the Jeffersonian, and parked my car.

As we walked up the endless stairs, Bones broke the silence.

"It's horrible for anyone to die before their time, but when it's a mere child it's so much more difficult to deal with," Bones offered as her sentiment.  
"Yeah, I know. That little boy was around Parker's age. Can you imagine…" my eyes filled up with tears. I wiped them away angrily, hating to show any signs of weakness, especially around Bones, who always stayed so strong, regardless of the scenario- except when it pertained to her family.

"It's ok, Booth. You're allowed to feel things. That doesn't make you any less of a man," she comforted me, stroking the expanse of my back. "You still owe me a hug for when you're scared. I think it's time." She teased, and I fell into her arms. What an odd reversal, falling and letting her catch me. Even if it was over something stupid, I liked it. Perhaps too much.

We must have looked very odd to anyone who didn't know us, paused at the landing, arms around each other. This was Booth and I, though. It defined our relationships quite well. Breaking apart and strolling into the Jeffersonian, I was greeted by a freshly cleaned set of remains on the table. Cam had been correct in her assumptions of between 7 and 9, though I leaned more towards the latter. After being pleasantly greeted by Cam and Mr. Nigel-Murray, I directed a question towards Hodgins.

"Do you know the approximate time of death?" I asked him.

"About two months ago, according to the particulates found on the corpse." He responded.

"Can you please not call it a corpse? It sounds so…zombie slayer" Angela complained, striding into the room. "I got an ID, Mark Teranta, aged 7 ½. Reported missing by his mother a little less than two months ago."

"That last name sounds familiar," Booth stated. "Let me see the photo."

He took one look at it, and confirmed his theory.

"His 16 year old brother was arrested on gang related charges a few months ago. I also think he's in Parker's class."

"Let me see the information you've compiled so far," Booth demanded, directed at Cam, with his arm extended. He always possesses such an air of confidence, that I've never seen another man, or any_one_ display with the same intensity.

Opening the file, he read "Prime suspect, Parker Booth.", and everyone's mouths, including mine, dropped about a foot.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I paced around the lab, head thoroughly confused and mind in agony. Parker? The boy can't kill a bug, let alone brutally murder a classmate!

"Booth, we have to bring him in for questioning. I'll talk to him myself, and I promise I won't do or say anything to hurt him." Bones said softly in my ear, in a manner probably considered seductive, if I wasn't so busy losing control of my anger. I saw Angela and Cam exchange a glance out of the corner of my eye. They saw it.

I came back to Earth. "What possible evidence could they possibly have against my boy?" I accused protectively.

The scientist in Camille Saroyan was the first to respond to my accusation. "The angle of the blow and his height are a perfect match, and he had an antagonistic relationship with him. More accurately, Mark bullied him."

"I should've taught him to fight better" I muttered, nearly inaudibly.

Bones, her mouth still near my ear, heard it and reassured me. "That doesn't mean he did it, Booth. Calm down."

I was flabbergasted at this display of sympathy and comfort against Cam's pure science. I had to put it to words.

"Bones, since when do you try to disprove the cold hard scientific facts?"

"Excuse me for trying to do a good thing!" she retorted, and stormed off.

I camped out in my office for a half hour, trying to eliminate all evidence of tears from my face. I try and try to be more sensitive and comforting, and when I think I might have actually succeeded in my endeavors, Booth does something like that. I really should excuse him, though. I'm sure this situation with his son as the prime suspect is not easy for him to cope with. Unfortunately, this warrants a visit to Sweets. Well, that's not exactly accurate. It's time for our daily appointment. I emerge from my office, still rubbing my swollen eyes, and stride into his office.

I'm already confused enough when I step into Sweets's office, or as I mentally call it, the House of Terror. And just my luck, Bones is already in there, conferring with Sweets, a hint of fallen tears visible on her cheeks. Oh, god, what did I do this time?

"Sit down, Agent Booth" Sweets ordered. I plopped down on my customary spot on his couch, and Bones followed suit. I took a quick glance at her face and saw that she was closed off. She would not speak of whatever she had been crying about. I mentally backed off the topic, hands raised in a gesture of surrender.

"Any new developments in the case?" Sweets questioned inquisitively.

"Other than the fact that my son is the prime suspect?? Are you going to mock me, Sweets?" I blurted out.

"If you had bothered to read the rest of the file, you would've seen that there are many other viable suspects in addition to Parker. Mark Ternata was apparently not a well-liked boy." Sweets defended himself.

"See, Booth, I told you it probably wasn't Parker. Considering the fact that his DNA is half yours, there's no way he did this." Bones said, elbowing me in the stomach playfully.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I questioned angrily. How dare she say that!

"I was _trying _to compliment you!" she responded sarcastically.

Sweets coughed. I had forgotten he was even in the room. When Bones and I spoke, whether it be what I deemed a "moment" or just plain bickering, the world seemed to shrink to just the two of us. He had one of his annoying half smiles and was nodding with a smug look in his eyes.

"What?" the two of us inquired in unison.

We exchanged a grin and then turned our determined gazes back to the 23 year old psychologist staring at us.

"You two just surprise me every day," he said, still smiling smugly. Before me or Bones could analyze and/or question that statement, he changed the subject back to the case at hand.

"I understand that Parker is going to be questioned, as a part of protocol. Could I have the honors?" Sweets asked, staring straight at me with those clear brown eyes of his. In them shone innocence and naivety in too much of a degree for a man of his age. That was a striking similarity between him and Bones- their child-like view of the world, though hers were crystal blue and sparkling. Mine were narrowed and matured from seeing men die in front of me, some having shot myself. I prayed that Bones would never have to experience that torture.

"First of all, it's not "interrogation" or "questioning". He's 7 ½. You talk to him." I said, accenting the air quotes.

"Second?" Sweets asked eagerly.

"Well, Bones already said she would. Right, Bones?" I looked at the beautiful woman next to me.

"As much as I would love to, it would be anthropologically intriguing to see Sweets's interaction with Parker, and more crucially, your reaction to it." She said mischievously.

"Okay," I conceded, knowing I wasn't going to win this one. "But if you do _anything_, I will personally hunt you down and hurt you." I threatened.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I stared through the one-way glass, observing Sweets in his true element- relations with people. That was one of the far and few in between areas that I envied Sweets's expertise. Most likely the _only_ area. I watched as the usual fire behind the calm brown sea of Sweets's eyes was gone, only comfort and reassurance. The boy across the table from him shook in fear, which surprised me, considering his genetic makeup. I had never seen Booth scared, and he rarely displayed any emotions of weakness. I had always assumed it was part of his military training, but I recently realized that that was just him: his own extra-special touch. So as Parker stole glances around the room, the fear evident in his eyes and body language, I felt Booth tense at my side at seeing his son in that vulnerable state and incapable to help him. I grasped the fact that Booth's overprotective alpha male persona stretched beyond me and onto the other people that were dear and close to him. As I used my peripheral vision to take a glance at Booth, seeing his hands clenched into fists, Sweets began to make amiable conversation with Parker.

"So, Parker, how's school going?" Sweets's voice was reassuring and friendly, and Parker began to relax, his shoulders dropping and feet ceasing to tap.

"Um, pretty good, other than this…well, Mark's death. Was it an accident? What happened to him? Daddy wouldn't tell me anything. Something about confi…confi-dentistly something." Parker shot off questions like a professional interrogator after his initial fear had eclipsed.

"Confidentiality, Parker. And Agent Boo- I mean your father wasn't allowed to tell you. It's part of his job. Now onto the crucial topic. In answer to your questions, it wasn't an accident. He was killed by blunt- I mean hit on the head with something hard." Sweets tried to modify his usual interrogation techniques to fit Parker, and I could see that was not sitting well with Booth, who was running a hand through his short brown hair nervously and buried his face in his hands.

"You don't have to make the words easier for me. I'm really smart! One of the most smartest in my class. And when I grow up, I want to be in the army like my daddy, and then be an anthropologistal like Bones." I smiled at this outbreak of intelligence from Parker, and was touched by the fact that he wanted to mirror my career path.

Sweets pulled his chair a foot back from the table and put his feet up, trying to mirror Booth's ease in this manner and failing, miserably. I nearly laughed at this display of idolization. Ever since Gordon Gordon had called Sweets a "baby duck", I had become more attuned to his actions and seen that every time he looked at Booth, a deep admiration and respect filled his eyes. For being a psychologist and working with feelings all day long, he was quite easy to read- even for myself; a raw amateur in the field.

Back to Earth.

"So, Parker, what did you think of Mark?" Sweets asked, feigning genuine naivety in the matter.

"Well, I didn't really like him that much. He was really mean to me at recess, saying I was ugly and everyone hated me. But I swear, I didn't do it. Really I didn't, mister. Please believe me." At that moment, Parker burst out into tears which began running down his fast at a rapid pace. I pitied poor Parker, who had been the victim in all this, and was now being accused as the perpetrator. His anger barely controlled, Booth burst through the door of the observation room, and I quickly followed him.

All I knew when I stormed into that room was that Sweets was in some serious trouble with me and I had to console my son. Even Bones went out of my mind for that moment of livid fury. She pushed her way right back into my mind when I heard her steady footsteps echoing behind mine. I ignored her protests to calm down, and took a large stride over the threshold. I gave Sweets a right hook in the jaw, and watched him fall to the ground clutching his cheek, trying to terminate the blood flow. I then ran to my son and put my arms around him, stroking his hair and back, trying to stop the flood of tears ejecting from his eyes. Quickly, his sobs ceased and I jumped, feeling a hand on my own back in similar fashion. It was Bones, whispering reassuring phrases like "You're a good father" in my ear. Someone who walked into the interrogation room at that point would have thought it was a psych ward- the three of us (Bones, Parker and I) in a line, reassuring each other, and Sweets curled up in the corner, tears of pain running down his cheeks as well. I knew only too well the velocity and damage of my blows. That would leave a mark.

Due to Booth's lack of response to my attempt at comfort and compassion, I got up and left the room. It was time for some girl talk with Angela.

I stepped into her office, seeing her bobbing to the music coming out of the headphones currently fastened around her head. I walked in and tapped her on the shoulder, making her jump. I then opened and shut my hand in the universal gesture for "talk" and she immediately removed them.

"What's wrong, Sweetie? I can always tell in your face when something's off. What did Booth do this time?" she asked, concerned.

"I keep trying to be more human and comfort and reassure him and he just ignores me or pushes me away. I don't know what to do, Angela." I sank down onto her comfortable couch, defeated. "Help me, Ange."

"Sweetie, maybe he's just scared that if he tries to make a move, you'll back away. That man has been in love with you for years now. I think all this progress you've made, emotionally, is almost scaring him. He thinks that all these steps forward could turn into a tremendous regression with one wrong move. He's just sitting and waiting for the right time." Angela summarized.

"Since when did you become clairvoyant?" I teased. "Thanks, Ange, though. That really clears things up."

"No sarcasm intended?" Angela inquired

"When do I ever? You're a great friend, Ange. What did I do to deserve you?" I smiled at her.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for any inconsistencies thus far. This is my first fic. Thanks for reading, and continue to review.

P.S. This chapter is more of a filler with lots of fluff from both ends- even a little Brennan psychology. 

Chapter 4

I stormed around the Jeffersonian, peeking into every vacant room to see if Bones lie within. The last place I looked was the most likely place I would find her-Angela's office. I knew that even though our platonic relationship had taken giant leaps over the years, when it came to inner turmoil, Angela was still her instinctual reaction. Or, my vanity rising to the surface, maybe the confusion was about me, making it extremely awkward to confide in me about it. As these thoughts ran through my head, I poked my head through the door of Angie's office, and saw lying vulnerably on the couch. My heart and instincts went out to protect her, but my feet stayed planted firmly on the ground.

"Bones, there you are!" I cried in mock surprise. "I've been looking all over for you! I was getting worried." Now that was the god's honest truth. My overprotective "alpha-male" side, as she had deemed it, had been running in overdrive lately.

"Where would I have gone?" she asked dryly, her voice cut through with the remnants of old sobs. What was it with her and the crying today? What horrible thing had I or someone else done? She ferociously wiped any signs of tears from her eyes, and cleared her throat loudly. She hated to show vulnerability around me.

Meanwhile, Angela sat in the corner, observing us quietly. Her silence was so out of character, but I could practically see the wheels turning in her head, and the soft semi smile plastered on her face betrayed the thoughts inside her head.

To break the awkward silence that followed, Angela said quietly, "Bren, why don't you go? It looks like you two have a _lot _of work to do." She covered her mouth at the hint of playfulness that slipped in at the last second.

Bones eased herself to her feet and slowly followed me out of the room, Angela urging her on, making the universal signal for talking, her hand resting upon her temple. Bones gave acknowledgement with a slight nod, and we were in the open.

Now that it was just the two of us, I could figure out what was wrong.

After conversing with Angela, I decided to try a little reverse-psychology on Booth. I would speak to him using predominantly my hyper-rational, empirical side, registering the effects of the change. If he seemed bothered or tried to confront my about my sudden change in behavior, he noticed and liked the change that had taken place within myself, altering my core values and feelings. If not, then…

As I began to test my hypothesis, I realized just what I had been like back then. So cold and unfeeling. Was that really me? How did anyone put up with it? I hated the words coming out of my own mouth, and I struggled to keep emotion from coming through.

I took quick peeks out of the corner of my eye as we returned to where Parker was, mentally recording and analyzing the data. He did seem bothered and distracted, though I didn't know if it was through a fault of my own or some other issue. Though I had tried to shut my heart off, not literally of course, for the time being, I felt that I wanted to comfort him, and make him feel better and laugh again, even if it was just a smile. It was then that I truly realized that I was not totally satisfied with a "just partners" relationship any longer.

What had happened? She had come so far in the four years that I had known her. I had rescued her from the blackness isolation of absorbing herself in pure science and ration day after countless day after dreamless night. The only stars on the horizon were her friends, Angela, Hodgins, and Zach. They were the only things that kept her from melting into the calm abyss, and I owed it to them for keeping her for me. Now I imagined her world as living inside the sun, the sunshine of Seeley Booth. I shook my head and laughed to myself. Man was I cocky!

Now I had to figure out how to fix this. I had spent all this time chipping her walls down, piece by piece, until I could repeatedly access her with ease. Just as the last wall was coming down, they all closed around her again, making her unreachable. I guessed the only way to try was to talk to her.

In the front seat of my car, I had never quite realized how private it really was. I broke her quiet train of thought with a classic confrontational opener- "Bones, we have to talk."

She turned the full power of her blue eyes onto me and interlocked them with my chocolate brown ones, waiting, somewhat eagerly, for my next utterance.

I cleared my throat…


	5. Chapter 5

I looked into the depths of the little brown pools of Seeley Booth's eyes, awaiting the flow of words from his lips. I felt the eagerness on my face, though I didn't truly want it to manifest itself. It made me seem so vulnerable, like a teenager girl, hanging on his every word. He began to speak.

"Bones, you've come so far in the short amount of time I've known you. Don't argue, because you know it's the truth, and so does everyone else. I spoke to Angela about it, and she's never been more proud of you. And so am I. So what is with this sudden aloofness and distance? You were so close, and then… and then I lost you. Where did you go? Did I scare you? Did I take too many steps forward? I'll back off. Whatever I have to do so I don't lose you for good."

He took a deep breath, and continued staring at me, waiting for any sort of acknowledgement that I had heard him. Unfortunately, I was incapable of moving any part of my body at that moment. As if right on cue, his phone buzzed and I shook to attention.

Still staring at me, he reached into his suit pocket and pulled his phone out and flipped it open in one fluid motion, answering "Booth" After a pause, "Ok. Thanks, Cam". He shut the phone and began to stare out the window, looking deeply disturbed and deep in thought.

"What's the matter, Booth?" I choked out. None of my feelings, no matter how conflicted, were superior to my partners, especially when he was in deep distress. Regardless of my other feelings, we were friends first and foremost, even ahead of partners. I wondered when that reversal had taken place.

"Cam just told me that…that Parker's best friend just came to the Jeffersonian and said that Parker killed him. That boy. Mark" Booth's eyes began to be covered with a watery film. "But there's no way he could have done it. I know it, Bones. Otherwise I am an utter failure as a father."

That was totally untrue, and I had to let him know that. "Booth, you are the most amazing father I have ever known. Don't doubt it for a second" A small smile crept across his lips at my words.

"Don't doubt it for a second. Don't doubt it for a second." The words in her musical voice echoed through my head. What she didn't know was that I had uttered those same words to Cam when she first came to the Jeffersonian and was considering firing Bones. It sounded leaps and bounds better when she said it.

But what really worried me was Parker. What had happened to him while I had my back turned? Was this the punishment for not having primary custody? Had he turned into a psychopathic killer while I was focused on Bones? I shook that thought out of my head. Though my life had become more "Bones-centered" lately, I wasn't that oblivious to the huge change that would have taken place. Hadn't I drilled into him multiple times never to fight with girls? Something as insignificant as that in his brain should've made him realize that murder was way higher on the list. That it was actually illegal.

We drove back to the Jeffersonian in silence, a rare occurrence. Either Bones was shutting down or she had finally become more acute in her reading of people and realized that that was just what I needed.

After my blurt-out about Booth's parenting, my oversized brain went all analytical about Booth's "speech". Never had I been in such a committed relationship, and been in it so deep. Now I was scared. I yearned for something more, and it seemed like Booth did too. That was what scared me. As much as I wanted to, I wasn't truly ready to take the next step, even if he made the first move. So I decided to do what I do best when fear overcomes me. I withdraw, and run.


End file.
